


Trial and Error

by thatorangedrank



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Divorce, F/M, Slow Burn, no community center, no magic, the kids are in this, there's more but I'll tag as I go, uhhhhhhhhh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 11:37:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12887052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatorangedrank/pseuds/thatorangedrank
Summary: Experience five years of Tami's life as she moves into her grandfather's run down farm to start a new, easy life; or at least try to. As ironic as it is, life will be getting in the way of her attempting to make the best of her situation.-no magic-no community center(loosely based around how I played the game)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! SO this was going to be my nanowrimo but so much happened in November that I only got a couple of chapters done, however I have a completed outline so I know when the ending will be. I'll be posting one chapter a month :)

Bright vibrant colors danced around the air. She could barely see in between the adults’ legs but she shoved her way through to stop at the flowers in a large barrel. The little girl gasped happily and moved to grab some.

“Ah ah ah!” Her hand was slapped away by a woman with blonde hair. The little girl with soft brown hair looked up with a pout. “Tami, we have to _pay_ for those…”

The girl made a face, rubbing her hand where she’d been smacked. “Mom, why would you _pay_ for flowers? You can pick them for free!”

Her mother sighed softly and turned to a young man who was balancing a three year old girl, with violet hair, on his hip. “I’m sorry about that, Pierre. The flowers are beautiful though.”

He smiled a little. “Oh it’s no trouble at all! Gosh, she’s gotten so big now! How old are you, Tamara?”

She frowned and stomped her foot, her little slip on shoes hardly making a sound on the soft grass. “It’s Tami! And I’m seven years old!”

Her mother started to scold her again but Pierre just laughed, “Her grandmother’s stubbornness finally passed on through the gene pool I see! Go ahead and take a flower, Tami. Free of charge.”

Before her mother had even begun to say no, Tami had already grabbed on and tucked it behind her ear. “Thank you!” she squeaked.

“You’re quite welcome!” He smiled softly back at her mother. “How’s your father-in-law doing?”

Tami only partially listened as she heard her mom sigh, “Hanging on. He felt bad for having to leave the dance so early but… He just couldn’t. Tom is with him, taking care of him.”

“That’s good,” Pierre said with a nod. “You shouldn’t strain yourself either, Shannon.”

“Oh I won’t, I…” Her voice drifted off as Tami pushed through more people to see some couples dancing.

One woman had gorgeous long blonde hair and was dancing with a man in a military uniform. They were more of holding onto each other and swaying honestly. There was another couple out there, a woman with soft ginger hair and a black man holding her close. Tami could make out a pregnant belly on her and was impressed with how fast she wanted to lead her husband. Then there was another couple dancing normally and giggling. The man had dark brown hair and his wife’s was black, giving off an almost violet sheen as the bob curled around her cheek. The woman said something soft to him before resting her head on his chest.

Tami’s whole chest bloomed with warmth at the sight of them and she felt a smile crack her face. She wanted something like that. She wanted to dance with her prince charming and-

She gave a small scream as she was shoved to the ground. She looked up and saw a boy, about ten with black hair, run past her. “Sorry!” He yelped before running out to the gorgeous couple, an older teenage girl with the same hair chasing him.

“Shane, you little shit!” She squealed. She chased him around the gorgeous couple in circles a few times before the man grabbed the girl and the woman stood in front of Shane. “He put a tadpole in my punch! Mom, stop _protecting_ him!”

“Rebecca, would you calm down?” The man, apparently her father, said, “We are in proper company, do _not_ use that language.”

Shane had begun snickering until his little mother grabbed his ear, practically trying to lift him off of the ground. “Young man, you’re in so much trouble do you understand??”

Tami was going to keep watching but she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. “ _There_ you are!” She looked up and saw her mom’s panicked face. “What are you doing on the ground?”

“I was pushed!” She frowned and started to get up. “I don’t care though. Can we dance soon??”

Shannon sighed and brushed her nice dress off. “Soon enough, sweetheart, soon enough.”

They both flinched as they heard a soft wailing by the food table. A young boy was crying his eyes out. “M-Mom, Grandpa said no m-m-more ice cream!”

The woman sighed. “Dad…”

An older fellow in a wheelchair grumbled a little. “He’s had enough sweets!”

Tami frowned at her mother. “I want grandpa here. He’d dance with me.”

Shannon picked her daughter up. “I’ll dance with you instead, hm? I’ll teach you the move Grandma taught me when I was dating Daddy. She _did_ create this whole thing remember? She was a wonderful dancer…”

Tami nodded, glad the boy and his sister had been dragged off to argue with their parents out of the dancing area. “Was Grandma pretty?” She asked as Shannon carried her to the middle.

“Gorgeous.” She answered with a smile.

“She had hair like mine, right?” Tami asked excitedly.

Shannon put her down and giggled, “Almost exactly.”

Tami smiled wider. “She sounds amazing… Wish she was here, maybe Grandpa wouldn’t be so sad!”

Her mother gave a soft, sad grin at that. “I think you’d be right about that…”

-

It was just a few days later when Tami’s grandfather took a turn for the worse. She tried to remember every little detail as she cried silently. She could hear her father sobbing in the kitchen with her mother, she could see the twinkle in the sky through the window. She tried to move as her grandfather called her closer but she barely budged. He was holding something tightly, a letter illuminated by the fire a few feet away from him.

“Please, come closer, Tamara,” he begged her. His additional plea was enough to move her feet. He reached out with his free hand and took both of his little ones to hold. “... and for my very special granddaughter: I want you to have this sealed envelope…”

She took it, remaining silent as she stared at the purple seal. Tami’s trembling hands moved to open it but he put his large hand over hers. “No, no, don’t open it yet… have patience. Now listen close…” She lowered the letter to look up at his dazed eyes. “There will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness.” Her eyes widened and she listened closely, hanging onto every single word. “When that happens, my girl, you’ll be ready for this gift.” She nodded, still holding tightly onto his hand as it loosened. “Now, let Grandpa rest…” he murmured, starting to close his eyes.

She gulped and let him, surely sleep was what he needed.

-

15 Years Later

A hand came up to Tami’s forehead, rubbing it tiredly as she punched in numbers for stock items. She couldn’t stand looking at the damn screen. It was so bright it made her want to vomit and she wasn’t allowed to turn down the setting on her own working computer. Every day the cubicle got smaller. Every day she tried to take longer bathroom breaks. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen the sun. She got there before the sun rose and left after it set. She hated her job. She’d only taken it because her mother had said it was “sensible and stable”.

That had been Shannon’s argument for nearly everything since she had left Tami’s father. Very quickly after her grandfather’s death he’d taken to the bottle, unable to cope with losing both of his parents. By the time Tami had turned 12, she and Shannon were living without him. Now anything Tami did had to be approved by her mother, because she didn’t want her to end up in a similar situation.

This was the cause of many of their fights. At 20, Tami had finally had enough and moved out, but at 22 she was still working the same shitty job because, if anything, it _was_ a sensible and stable job.

Tami sat back in her seat and closed her eyes tightly. She needed just one minute without the fluorescent lights or the brighter-than-the-sun computer screen in her face. Just when she had closed her eyes, she heard over the intercom. “It is not break time, Tamara.”

She opened her eyes, glaring at the screen before punching in a few more numbers. She paused again. She hated her job, she hated her life, she hated the father she hadn’t spoken to since she was 15, she hated the mindless person she had become. She turned and opened a desk drawer, seeing a picture of her and her family when she was just five. Beside it was the letter her grandfather had given her the night that he died. She had placed it in the desk to make her smile when she needed to, but now she just glared at her.

Tami grabbed it and practically ripped it open, not caring much for what the envelope looked like when she was done.

_Dear Tami,_

_If you’re reading this, you must be in dire need of a change._

_The same thing happened to me, long ago. I’d lost sight of what mattered most in life… real connections with real people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong. I’ve enclosed the deed to that place… my pride and joy: Green Farm. It’s located in Stardew Valley, on the Southern Coast. It’s the perfect place to start your new life._

_This was my most precious gift after all, and now it’s yours. I know you’ll honor the family name, my girl. Good luck._

_Love, Grandpa_

_P.S. If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?_

Tami just stared at the page. She looked at the next page and, sure enough, there was the deed to the farm. She hadn’t been back there since her grandfather had died. Now she owned the place…? She suddenly distinctly remembered the smell of fresh jam being brewed in the summer. Making funny markings on the apple pie before they put it in the oven for the fall fair. Going out into the forest to find the _perfect_ tree for the Feast of the Winter Star. And the smell of freshly cut hay at the beginning of spring. For the first time in months, a real smile graced her lips. She hadn’t felt so much happiness from her memories in years.

A voice cut through the intercom again. “Tamara, if you don’t stop slacking, we’ll cut your pay.”

She gripped the letter tightly and stood, smiling up at her supervisors through the glass window they hid behind. “That’s okay!” She laughed, “I quit!!” She leaned down and grabbed her jacket, and her family photo and started bolting through the cubicles. She ran harder than she had in months. She was going to leave this building and never look back, she was going to see the sun, she was going to leave Zuzu City and go live in the country, she was going to be a farmer, and God damn it, _she was going to be happy_.


	2. New, Familiar Faces

The landscape along the road was so much different from the city. In Zuzu, the mountains could be seen distantly and only on a clear day. Now the large mountains were right next to the road and they made Tami feel extremely small and insignificant on the bus. 

She had called her mom about the letter the moment she had gotten home from quitting. Understandably, Shannon had been furious, trying to talk her daughter out of it with numerous explanations. She was having an early mid-life crisis, she just needed a different job, she was depressed and needed professional help, the trauma was finally grasping and controlling her life. Tami admitted that some of those might be true, but she just couldn’t help feeling like she was always meant to be in Stardew Valley. She never wanted to be anywhere else as a child, and she still wanted it as an adult. 

And then her mother started to talk reasonably. Was she planning to stay in the old, unkempt cabin? How much money did she have saved? Did she even know how to farm?

She had some money, she’d get more if she sold most of her things. She had managed to pry Lewis’s phone number from her reluctant mother in order to set somethings up for Tami by the time she arrived. “What do you want me to show up with a sleeping bag and camp in the rat infested cabin, mom? I’m doing this, might as well make sure there’s not an axe murderer squatting in the place.” So she got the number.

Tami chatted with Lewis and explained the situation, he was more than happy to help her; at half the price too, when she mentioned her financial situation. The cabin was fixed up enough to where she would be able to live in it, but any further renovations would had to be made at full price and while she was still there. “It’ll just be so great to have that farm up and running again!” The old man exclaimed, “What are you thinking of planting first? It’ll be spring time by the time you get here so the ground will be ripe and fertile!”

She had just smiled and laughed, agreeing with him. Then the moment she had gotten off of the phone, she had immediately ordered as many reliable farming books as she could. She had found this one show very late at night called Livin’ Off The Land and she practically came from how excited she was when she watched it.

The bus hit a pothole and jumped, snapping Tami out of her thoughts. She held her farming book close so it didn’t fall off her lap as she looked out the window again. There was green everywhere, she barely saw the road sign that said, Stardew Valley, 0.5 miles.

She bit her lip excitedly and shoved her book back into her backpack. 

-

Getting off of the bus had been an experience. She was the only person traveling to Stardew Valley and the other passengers were looking at her as if she was crazy for wanting to go there. She didn’t have very many things, just her backpack, and two large suitcases that the driver had to pull from the back for her. “Thank you,” she had told him gratefully, but he had just grumbled and gotten back into the bus. He hadn’t even waited for her to walk to the grass before he started up the bus. As he drove away she was hit with a cloud of exhaust, making her cough and cover her face a little bit. When she opened her eyes she saw a familiar looking woman with soft ginger hair pulled back into a bun. 

“Hello! You must be Tami. Oh gosh, look at how much you’ve grown up! Here, let me help with your bags.” She walked forward and took a suitcase. 

Tami smiled nervously. “O-oh thank you… uhm… I’m sorry I don’t know who you are…” She laughed a little.

The woman blinked before realizing. “Of course you don’t! Oh, my apologies! You were just a little girl the last time I saw you, there’s no way you’d remember me! I’m Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He’s there right now, tidying things up for your arrival. The farm’s right over here, if you’ll follow me.” 

Robin shot her a grin before leading her down to a path. “Thank you so much, Robin,” Tami said with a smile. “I think I vaguely remember you… My mom mentioned getting back into contact with a few people here and she might have had you on her list.”

“Oh Shannon!” The woman giggled, “Why we were practically best friends in school together, that’s where she met your father you know! He had to commute of course, there’s no real school system here. I was terribly sorry to hear about their divorce… Oh you don’t want to talk about that, I’m sorry. Anyways - when I was looking for a place to live with my son, Shannon immediately showed me an adorable cabin that had just gone on the market. Does your mother still do real estate?”

“Uh- yeah!” Tami smiled awkwardly. “Yeah she does…” The brunette had zoned out a little, watching a run down house come into view. She furrowed her brows at how familiar it was but how unfamiliar it was as well. She looked around at the small forest. There were nearly grown trees everywhere and tall grass covering the ground.

“This is Green Farm,” Robin said matter-of-factly. Tami looked at her, waiting for the punchline. When it didn’t come she gasped and covered her mouth in horror. The ginger tilted her head a little. “What’s the matter? Sure, it’s a bit overgrown, but there’s some good soil underneath that mess!” She laughed lightheartedly. 

Tami seemed almost in a daze, she lowered her hands from her face and breathed, “This is so much more run down than I thought it would be…”

Robin smiled sympathetically and placed a hand on her shoulder. “With a little dedication you’ll have it cleaned up in no time.” She led Tami to the front door, guiding her with her shoulders. “... And here we are, your new home.”

Almost as if it was rehearsed, an older man came out wearing an old cap and a green dress shirt. He grinned widely. “Ah, the new farmer!” He walked down the front steps and reached out to shake Tami’s hand. “Welcome! I’m Lewis, Mayor of Pelican Town. We spoke on the phone.”

Tami shook his hand, starting to calm down from the shock. “Ah- yes! Nice to meet you in person, Lewis.”

He puffed up his chest happily as he put his hands in his pockets. “You know, everyone’s been asking about you.”

At that, more surprise came over her. “Oh?”

He laughed good heartedly. “It’s not everyday someone new moves in. It’s quite a big deal!”

She laughed with him. “Oh I don’t know if I’d call myself a big deal…”

Lewis smiled before turning to look at the house. He gave a big sigh. “So… You’re moving into your grandfather’s old cottage. It’s a good house… very ‘rustic’.” Tami smiled and followed his gaze, starting to recognize the house she’d run and played in underneath the damage time had dealt it.

Robin’s laugh broke the tender moment. “Rustic? That’s one way to put it… ‘Crusty’ might be a little more apt, though.”

Lewis gave a loud gasp. “Rude!” His exclamation had pulled laughter out of both of the women. “Don’t listen to her, Tami. She’s just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades.” Robin made a small noise, giving the old man the stink eye. “Anyway… You must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest. Tomorrow you out to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that, especially since it’s been so terribly long since you’ve seen most of them.” He smiled warmly and turned to walk away. “Oh, I almost forgot. If you have anything to sell, just place it in this box here. I’ll come by during the night to collect it. Well…” He looked around at the wild farm. “Good luck!” He walked off, clearly pleased with himself.

Robin gave a soft sigh. “I had better head back too. If you need anything built, I’ll gladly do it for a fee.”

Tami smiled at her. “Thank you, Robin. It might be a while since I have to earn some money from this place first, but I do appreciate it. Oh, and just between us? I am definitely going to be looking into some of those house upgrades.”

The older woman laughed softly, “It’s a secret. See you later, Tami.”

-

Like the early riser that she was, Tami had no problem waking up at 6:30 in the morning but what she wasn’t used to was listening to the birds chirping outside of her window.She couldn’t tell if she liked it or not. She pushed her quilt off sleepily and looked around the room. It was pretty familiar but completely different from when she was a kid. It wasn’t cozy, and it didn’t smell anything like she remembered it. She had a lot of work to do. 

But first some fresh air. She stood and flipped on the tv, listening to the news as she got ready for her morning run. Bright and sunny all day. Perfect. She grinned and grabbed her phone and headphones. Tami jogged down the steps, becoming a little discouraged at the state Grandpa’s- no. No it was her farm now. That made her feel even worse to see the state her farm was in. She simply shrugged and jogged the way she came the previous evening; there was nothing she could do about the farm right then so she wasn’t going to let it affect her jog. She passed the bus stop, noticing the area was basically empty, and continued along the road. Tami had vague memories of coming along this way when she was a child and she felt pretty nostalgic. 

She smiled as she looked around. It hadn’t changed a bit. 

She hung a left and jogged up the stairs, coming up on the playground. She hardly played with any of the other kids in town but she remembered some intense races happening with a few random ones. She didn’t remember their names of course, but that wasn’t important. She didn’t let herself stay there for too long, she kept on going along the little path. Her smile fell a little at the sight of the community center, she supposed that not everything was the same. SHe felt tempted to go poke around inside for a hot minute but she could practically hear her mother scolding her for even looking at the rat infested mine field. 

She gave a small huff and started down the stairs by the river, back towards the shops. She was a little too preoccupied thinking about what else was falling apart in the town when she turned right, smacking straight into some guy’s chest. She gasped hard and lifted her head quickly to apologize but the back of her head connected with the guy’s nose and he let out a strangled cry, holding his face. “Ow??” He grumbled, glaring at her through his fingers while his palm covered his nose.

“I’m so sorry!” Tami exclaimed, covering her mouth before trying to reach out to help him. 

He took two quick steps back. “Hey, watch where you’re fucking going, alright?”

“It was an accident! Oh gosh, I’m so sorry! I-I was jogging and I didn’t think to slow down around the corner I-”

“Fucking tourists think you run the place.” He shouldered past her, storming off. 

Tami could only watch him go with wide eyes. She’d need to properly apologize later so she remembered his most basic features. Tall, blue hoodie, dark hair, brown eyes, potentially broken nose. She made a small face at the guilt she felt. She should’ve been thinking. She should’ve slowed down. Tami shook her head a little and took a deep breath. She told herself the same thing she had said when she saw the farm that morning. There was nothing she could do about it now. With a small breath she kept on jogging. Slower this time.

-

The day continued without further accident, mostly awkward hellos and grumpy young adults giving dirty looks. Tami had started clearing out some stumps and weeding an area for her to plant the about five turnips. Sometime around six p.m., she decided that she desperately needed a drink. Fond memories had been making her smile for most of the day, but the moment she stepped into the Stardrop Saloon, nostalgia hit her like the bus she rode in on. Her smile widened as the low music filled her ears, being complimented by the clinking of dishes, and the tinkling of laughter and distant conversations. 

She walked up to the front, waving to Lewis who was eating with Marnie, who Tami became familiar with again when she visited the ranch. She walked up to the front, smiling at the bartender. “Hello there!” He smiled. “You must be the new girl the whole town's talking about! I’m Gus.”

“Nice to meet you.” Tami smiled widely. “People have been talking about me?”

“Oh yeah, Lewis keeps going on about you. You even got Shane talking but it was mostly him griping to Emily.”

She tilted her head. “Griping?”

Gus got a teasing glimmer in his eye. “Yes but I’m afraid I’m being awfully nosey.”

Tami gasped and covered her mouth for a moment before looking around. Lo and behold, there was the man she had crashed into that morning drinking by the fireplace. He sniffed a little and then winced. She turned back to Gus, moving her hands. “It was an accident! Oh I need to apologize to him… Can I have two beers please, Gus?”

He chuckled a little and nodded. “Give me a second yeah?”

Tami smiled nervously and turned to look at the man again. What had Gus called him? Shane? That must mean he was Marnie’s nephew. Apparently they had played together a little as children. He was older but age didn’t really start being important to kids until they turned ten or so. Shane looked over and caught Tami’s eye. She smiled apologetically only to be met with an eye roll as he turned back to look at his drink. She frowned, now extremely nervous. 

“Here you go.” Gus smiled, placing two beers in front of her so hard it made her jump. “Now I have to warn you, he’s not the kindest person.”

She nodded slowly. “Uh, thanks.” She paid and took a deep breath as she picked them up. This was fine. She was fine. She turned and started walking towards Shane.

He only seemed to notice her when she was halfway there, walking straight towards him. He gave her a confused glare, his head slightly tilted down. She finally made it to him and stood there, looking at him. He didn’t say anything, just watched her closely. 

She cleared her throat a little and placed the beer next to him on the counter. “I’m really sorry for this morning.”

Shane looked at the one she had given him and then back at her, very confused. He took a small breath and then said, “I don’t know you. Why are you talking to me?”

Tami blinked at that. It wasn’t exactly a ‘fuck off’ and it definitely wasn’t a ‘thank you for this kind gesture’. So she just did the thing she normally did when she was uncomfortable. She rambled. 

“Oh uh yeah, sorry. I’m Tami, Tamara. Just- call me Tami though. I moved into the farm. Like the one above your Ranch? Or your aunt’s ranch. The farm is my grandpa’s well it’s mine now. Anyways Marnie told me that we used to play as kids? I don’t remember, I doubt you do. So uh- I’m really sorry about crashing into you and almost breaking your nose and-”

“Jesus Christ. Please shut up.” Shane groaned. “Apology accepted. My nose is fine I swear just stop talking.” He placed his empty glass down and grabbed the full beer she had given him. “Okay thanks bye now.”

“Oh uh. Okay bye…” She took her own beer and went to sit down at a table. That wasn’t too bad.


	3. Alone Together

The next week was moderately productive. Every morning Tami would go for her jog, reminding herself to be careful when she turned that corner and would say hi to Shane as she passed. She was usually met with an eye roll but at the start of the second week, he simply nodded to her, frown ever present. 

She took notice of the bulletin board outside of Pierre’s when she went shopping the first few times. She smiled a little, seeing Shane’s birthday. Of course, he was a spring baby. She also noticed the request board. When she finally had her farm cleaned up a little more, she’d have to start taking on some of those. 

Her days would continue with her tending to her newly planted crops and then proceeding to clear out as many stones and trees as she could. Then she would wander her way down to the Stardrop Saloon and order a beer and some dinner. She would see Shane then too, and because she still felt guilty, she would send some beer over to him.

However, he wasn’t there that Monday night. She wondered if he was sick of her, she’d ruled out being ill because she had seen him go to work that morning. Her stomach twisted in a nervous sort of way and she decided to leave earlier that night, not staying around to talk with Marnie or Robin. 

She gave a little huff as she walked out. It had been suspiciously chilly all day, a dark cloud covering the sky and threatening rain sometime this week. She had lost her umbrella before she moved to the valley and could hear her mother’s nagging in the back of her head, similar to the small buzz she had from the beer she’d drunk. She pulled her jacket on a little tighter and started walking. She decided she could make it to her farm faster by taking the route past Marnie’s ranch. It was dark but there were enough lights to guide her.

Just as she was passing the ranch, Tami noticed a small light flickering out over the lake. She tilted her head and started walking towards it. As she got closer she noticed there was someone sitting out on the dock, just watching the water. If she hadn’t just seen him at the saloon, Tami would have guessed it was Willy getting up to some late night fishing. She walked closer and saw the man sitting out there with a beer bottle in his hand. Her breath hitched as she watched him take a long drink and then tossing his bottle to the side, next to three others. She knew exactly who he was when she saw him lean towards the light to grab a new beer. 

Shane paused, his face illuminated as he looked back at her. She’d somehow managed to make it to the dock, watching him with interest. Only then did she realize how creepy she was being. She blinked hard and looked down at her feet. “Sorry, I just wanted to see who was out here…” She looked back at him, he was still staring at her.

He finally shrugged and looked back to the water before opening his beer and taking a drink. “Up late, huh?” He said. Tami was kind of shocked. He wasn’t being rude? There wasn’t an eye roll that she saw, and his voice had a more tender cadence than it usually did. He reached down and held out his last beer bottle, not looking at her. “Here, have a cold one.” 

That was an invitation. He was opening up to her and she was too nervous to say anything. So all she did was walk forward, take the beer, and sit down next to him. She didn’t look directly at him, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw him shift. He must’ve felt as nervous as her. What was his plan? Had he even been thinking straight when he asked her to be his drinking partner for a moment? He was very clearly trying to come up with something, and she let him. She didn’t want to ruin this moment with her rambling. 

Shane took a deep breath and then sighed it out. “Buh… Life.” Tami looked right at him then, since he’d just given the cue. She didn’t respond again, and that seemed to confuse him. His brows knit as he continued to stare down at the water. She watched him physically prepare to speak as if he was thinking about his words before he said them. She had found that he hardly did that while he was sober. “You ever feel like…” She had barely caught his words, they had been mumbled very quietly. “No matter what you do, you’re gonna fail?” He took another breath, his chest rising as he got braver, his voice raising to it’s regular volume. “... Like you’re stuck in some miserable abyss and you’re so deep you can’t even see the light of day?” He sniffed once. “I just feel like no matter how hard I try… I’m not strong enough to climb out of that hole.”

Tami’s heart throbbed for him. She wanted to help, to say something to make him feel better. But she had been in that position before. Whenever she would open up a little to someone, they always wanted to fix her, but she didn’t want to be fixed. She wanted to be understood, listened to. She shifted towards him, which caught his eye and he turned to look at her, his eyes very frightened of how much he had just told this girl he barely knew. She pressed her shoulder against his and held out her beer. “Can you open this for me? I can’t open anything that’s not a twist off.”

He almost looked relieved that she hadn’t said anything as he nodded and set his own bottle down. He took hers, his warm fingers brushing hers for a moment. He leaned down to the corner of the dock and pressed the edge of the cap to the wood. He hit down with the heel of his free hand and opened it with a pop. He held it out for her, relaxing against her shoulder. She took it gratefully and took a long drink, almost like she was trying to show him that she could drink as much as him. When she pulled the bottle away she felt the warmth flood her cheeks. She was pretty sure it was from the alcohol, but when she saw the slight curve his mouth had as he looked at her, she wasn’t sure. “Heh… fast drinker, huh? Woman after my own heart.” He nudged her with his shoulder, causing her to giggle a little, never looking away from his brown eyes. His smile faded as they continued to look at each other. She watched him gulp, eyes casting down for a moment before looking back up at her blue orbs. “Just don’t make it a habit… You got a future ahead of you still.”

She watched him before snickering and returning the nudge he had given her. “You’re just a couple years older than me, you’re not old enough to be spouting that grandpa shit.” 

That made his smile come back, just barely, almost like it was forced. “You don’t even know how old I am.”

She could feel the alcohol really starting to hit her as she smiled wider at him. “Well, this is where we start sharing. How old are you, grandpa?”

He sighed, relaxing more. “Twenty-five.”

“Hah,” she laughed softly. “You’re only three years older than me so don’t act like you know more. We’re equals, you and me.”

He gave a single snort. “Is that so?”

“Yessir.”

He chuckled before looking back out at the water. Tami followed his gaze, letting the sound of the water and the crickets lull them into a small safe space. For the first time since she had quit her job, she felt completely at ease. She wasn’t worried about anything. Her entire being was focused on the water, the dim light of the lamp, and the warmth of the man next to her. Almost without thinking, she rested her head against his shoulder, almost wanting to fall asleep there. Shane, however, had a different reaction. 

He tensed up and cleared his throat, starting to pull away. Tami pulled back and looked at him, brows furrowed slightly. He cast her a look of embarrassment, the nervousness had returned to his eyes. “Welp…” He swiped a hand over his mouth a little, looking around at the bottles before starting to gather them. “ My liver’s beggin’ me to stop. Better call it a night.” He stood as Tami nodded, standing with him. He saw her wobble a little and caught her arm. “You good to walk on your own?” He asked her.

She nodded slowly. “Yeah, just drank a lot at the saloon before I got here.”

He hummed and picked up his lamp. “Why don’t I walk you to your property. Don’t want you getting lost in the woods or drowning.” 

She nodded again, it wasn’t too far away but she wasn’t going to deny any extra time with Shane. He had his bottles in one bag, holding it at the elbow of the arm that he held the lantern. He hesitated for a moment before placing his large hand on Tami’s shoulder blade, guiding her gently. Anytime she stumbled or wavered he would grab her arm before moving it back to her shoulder. They reached Marnie’s ranch soon and Shane let her go. 

“Okay, this is me,” he said. “Just head straight up, you’ll be okay?”

She nodded, looking at the ranch before turning back to Shane. “Yeah, I have a path cut out.”

“Good.” He nodded as well before giving an awkward huff and saying, “See you around, Tami.”

“Bye, Shane. Thanks for sharing.”

He looked nervous for a moment but then she motioned to the bag and he relaxed again. He nodded curtly and walked off to the house. 

-

That was a defining moment for their friendship. They didn’t talk about it but they had definitely started talking. Shane would wave back at Tami when she waved at him on her jogs. They had taken to eating and drinking together while they were at the Stardrop. They never touched or got closer than about a foot though. That night had been a very rare thing for both of them, and they seemed to mutually understand that fact.

Tami was eating some nachos as she chatted to Shane. “I mean I only had a few of my crops get eaten by crows, but I still built a scarecrow. Honestly, I’ve killed more of my plants than the damn birds. I just have no fucking clue what I’m doing out there,” She groaned.

Shane shrugged, leaning back in his seat. “You know more than I do about plants. The ranch handles livestock only. Marnie orders hay from a different place so we really don’t do the actual farming stuff.” Tami just hummed as she took a big bite. Shane made a face before setting down his drink. “Have you even considered livestock on your farm?”

She whined, “I don’t know the first thing about-”

“Oh, and you’re just forbidden to ask for help from me and Marnie? We breed and sell our animals, with a few exceptions. You can get good fuckin’ money from the products they produce. Especially in the winter time without your crops, you’ll be glad to get a head start.”

She pouted at him. “That sounds like work.”

He snorted. “Tough tit. Look just go see Robin about anything you need built, she’ll be all over that shit.”

-

The next morning Tami was getting dressed when she heard a brisk knock on her door. SHe raised a brow, unable to think of anyone who would get up at six in the morning to visit her. “Just a second!” She called, pulling on her pants and going to the door. Her long hair was down but she hadn't brushed it at all. When she opened the door and saw Marnie standing there with an animal carrier she became even more confused. 

“Good-mornin'!” The older woman barked loudly, happily. “You sure have done a lot with this place haven’t ya?”

Tami smiled good-naturedly. “Uh- yeah it’s been quite the project…”

“You enjoying yourself?” She asked.

“Oh yeah, I’m getting to know everyone really well.”

“Oh so I’ve heard,” Marnie chuckled. “Well, I know this seems a bit unorthodox but Shane told me you were thinkin’ about getting some livestock sometime soon.”

She nodded slowly, tucking some hair behind her ear. “Oh yeah… I need to pay Robin to build me a coop and a barn but I’ve started saving up for them.”

“Ah yes of course… Well,” she had a sneaky grin on her face as she said, “you’re gonna need a good mouser to get rid all of those animals who try to take shelter yeah?” Tami furrowed her brows, her mouth open to say something but she didn’t get the chance. Marnie was leaning down on the porch to place and open up her kennel. “Now o’ course you can say no, dear. I don’t know if you’re allergic or not but I figured you might enjoy some company.” SHe popped back up, holding an adult orange cat with a nicked ear. 

Tami laughed out of shock. “Oh..! Oh, Marnie, you didn’t have to-”

“Oh you hush, I didn’t do a thing!” She laughed, “I found this tom cat ‘bout a year ago wandering all over your property and so I took him home and fed him. But he kept on going back to your property. I don’t know if you even like cats but I figure you both consider this your home so… D’ya want him?” She held him out to her.

Tami laughed again and took him. She brought him close to her chest, he made a little mew of uncertainty but Tami assumed that after spending a year with a little girl he was probably well tempered. “Oh, he’s wonderful… What’s his name?”

“He doesn’t have one yet, I’m afraid. We always meant to pass him off so we didn’t want Jas getting too attached,” Marnie smiled. “Now I have his food and his dishes right here. He hunts a whole lot but not chickens, we broke him of that. If anything he likes to give ‘em a good scare from time to time.”

“Thank you so much, Marnie, he’s so sweet.”

She smiled softly at them. “I’m glad you like him.” She got a mischievous look in her eyes. “You know…. Shane almost insisted that I don’t bring him over.”

“Oh?” Tami tilted her head. She shifted the cat so he was in only one of her arms, the other moving to take the dishes and food. “Why’s that?”

Marnie handed them over with no argument. “Something about embarrassing him and ruining something for him.” She shrugged. “I suspect he wanted to do it himself just so he could see your pretty face again.”

At that, Tami went bright red. “I…. O-oh, um-”

“Now I’m not going to pry into the relationship of two adults… too much. But I just want to let you know that Shane is a particular man… He shows his affection in a very odd way. He might not seem like it, but he does like you.”

The brunette nodded slowly. “Well… ah… thank you for- for the cat and that. That information, thank you.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” She winked and waved before walking off. “Have a good day now!”

-

Tami was walking back to her farm after another night of drinking and talking with Shane. It was all seeming normal until Tami mentioned the cat Marnie had brought over that morning. He went pale and drank his beer twice as fast as usual. She felt a little bad but she felt her self-esteem raise a little at his reaction. She didn’t say any more about Marnie, instead, she talked about the cat a lot. Shane had asked her what she named it but she told him she hadn’t figured that out yet. 

Tami was a little worried about the cat when she got home, but when she saw him curled up on her bed she felt more at ease. She got the fire going since the house didn’t have a heater yet and it got pretty cold at night. She sat at the base of her bed, sticking her feet towards the fire to warm them. She heard a soft mew behind her and turned to see the tom cat stretching. He looked up at her and meowed again, his green eyes blinking slowly.

“Long day?” She asked him, only to be met with a yawn. “Yeah me too.” She nodded as he got up, walking towards her. “I’m glad you like it here so much.” He began purring as he rubbed up against her. “You like to cuddle?” Tami asked, opening an arm for him. He mewed again and climbed into her lap. “What should I name you, by the way?” She asked, but he was falling back asleep, purring loudly. “How about Gizmo?” She said with a smile, “Does that sound good?” He gave one faint mew. 

Tami felt her heart swell a little and she hugged him. She didn’t feel so alone on this farm anymore.


End file.
